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Apple Stereo Connectivity Kit for iPod (White) by Apple Computer
List Price: $99.99Our Price: $99.98You Save: $0.01 (0%)Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Network Media Player See more product details
Digital Photo Product DetailsManufacturer: Apple Computer Brand: Apple Edition: Electronics Audio: English (Original Language) Platform: No Operating System Model: M9339LL/C Publisher: Apple Computer Studio: Apple Computer Music Label: Apple Computer Product features: - Compatibility: iPod mini; iPod 4G, 5G, 5.5G
- Includes everything you need to connect your iPod to a home stereo system
- Hook your whole music library up to your home stereo with this iPod Stereo Connection Kit
- Plug the Monster Cable into the mini-stereo line out connection on the back of the dock and then into any available audio input on a home stereo receiver
- FireWire cable for charging your iPod and connecting to PC
Accessories:
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Apple Stereo Connectivity Kit for iPod (White)Customer Review: Worked great for me. Summary: 4 Stars
OK - here's what you get:
1 power supply brick
1 iPod dock
1 3-foot cable to connect power supply brick and dock
1 3-foot cable to connect dock and stereo
This version of the kit is compatible with 3rd and 4th generation iPods (those with a dock connector on the bottom) and with the iPod mini. Although the dock connector is electronically the same for all these iPods, the dimensions of the iPod itself differ by model. Thus, the dock comes with different plastic tops for the different sizes of iPods and you snap on the right-sized top for your iPod (check the size carefully before snapping on the cover - it goes on easily, but it doesn't come off easily).
The cable that connects the power supply brick and the dock is a special Apple firewire-to-iPod-dock cable, but the cable that connects the iPod and the stereo system is nothing special, just a standard stereo minijack plug on one end and two rca phono plugs on the other. You can get a compatible cable from many different vendors and in many different lengths; which in my case was a good thing because the 3-foot length in the kit was too short.
Is the kit a good buy? Well, it depends. If you price all of the components in the kit separately, you will find that the kit is cheaper than the individual parts, even if you have to replace the stereo cable as I did. But, the question is, do you need to buy all the parts. Let's assume for the moment that you do in fact want to attach your iPod to your stereo and consider what you might be able to do without:
(1) Power supply brick. Your iPod and dock will in fact work fine without being plugged into the power supply. The trade-off is that without it you will drain the battery of the iPod while it is plugged into your stereo. You can get a dock and a stereo cable for substantially less than this kit, so if you're OK with the battery issue, you can save money by not getting the kit.
(2) iPod dock. You can plug the iPod into the stereo without the dock. The same stereo cable that connects the dock to the stero will also connect the iPod to the stereo. There are two disadvantages to this: first, the dock gives a true line-out, meaning that the volume control on the iPod doesn't affect the volume coming out of the dock, so you just use the stereo's volume control to control the playback volume. The audio-out jack on the iPod, however, is affected by the iPod's volume control, so if you connect it to the stereo, you have to be careful about the fact that there are two volume controls in the system, which is annoying at best, and there might be some risk to your stereo if the iPod's volume is too high. It is also worth noting if you have a power supply brick, you do not need the dock to recharge your iPod - the brick can plug into the iPod directly. If you are OK with the audio-out thing (and whether and how to keep your iPod upright without it) you can save money by not getting the kit and doing without the dock.
(3) Power-supply brick to dock cable. If you don't have the brick, you don't need the cable; if you do have the brick, you need the cable or the brick isn't going to do you any good. If you have decided you can do without recharging the iPod while it is connected to your stereo, you can skip the brick and this cable both.
(4) Dock-to-Stereo cable. This is the thing you can't do without if you want to connect your iPod and your stereo, but you have a lot of choices on vendors if this is all you're getting. Even if you aren't getting a dock, the cable that would connect the dock to the stereo is the same one that would connect the iPod to the stereo directly.
One more thing to consider is that your iPod might have already come with one or more of these pieces, and if you aren't using them elsewhere, you could use them as part of your stereo set-up and just buy any other pieces you need and not get the whole kit.
For me, I didn't have any extra pieces and I wanted the works - to recharge the iPod and not have to worry about a double volume control, so I got the kit. I also got the NaviPod IR Remote (which you can get right here at Amazon) so that I could control it remotely like the rest of my stereo gear.
To make your decision, just figure out what you want to have, what pieces you have already, and what you might be willing to live without and then make your decision. Hope this was helpful.
Description of Apple Stereo Connectivity Kit for iPod (White)Includes: dock, power adapter, dock connector to FireWire cable, and Monster Cable mini-stereo to RCA cable. Everything you need to connect your iPod to your home stereo! The Apple M9339LL/C iPod Stereo Connectivity Kit allows you to bring your music library into your living room. This kit includes everything you need to connect an iPod with Click Wheel or an iPod mini to a home stereo system. Just place the iPod Dock in a convenient spot, plug in the iPod Power Adapter and connect it to the dock with the supplied iPod Dock Connector to FireWire Cable. Plug the Monster Cable into the mini-stereo line out connection on the back of the dock and then into any available audio input on a home stereo receiver. Dock your iPod and rock the house! When you don't want to browse through your stacks of CDs and tapes, just hook your whole music library up to your home stereo with this iPod Stereo Connection Kit. With this kit, you can permanently stash your CDs out of the way and choose the music you play at home in the same manner while enjoying your iPod. The kit includes everything you need to connect your Click Wheel iPod to your home audio system: dock, power adapter, dock connector to FireWire cable. The kit also includes a Monster Cable mini-stereo to RCA cable which offers enhanced audio performance. What's in the Box iPod dock, iPod power adapter, iPod dock connector to FireWire cable, and mini-stereo to RCA cable iPod Compatibility iPod mini, iPod 4G (Clickwheel)
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